The Fifth World

Bo: I sat alone in Fifth World History. Everyone else's Angelicans were there with them, sitting by their side in their first class. Mine left. I have been taking notes but lately I've been a little sidetracked and a little bored.
Seriously. Why am I bored? I'm in the Academy. This is everything I've ever wanted. I then think of Cynric. Well, almost everything.

"Okay," the man, who everyone knows as Phillip, says, he is a Shape Shifter. He has dark gray hair, a messy beard and clothes that are quite... shabby. Tattered cargo pants, peeling boots and a grungy sweatshirt. I cringe just thinking about his clothing. I wonder when he showered last. "Fifth World History isn't generally history, it is more general knowledge. Just to clarify that to you, again." He is stalling, or maybe just very unorganised. If this fellow were an Angelican, this little speech would be done by now. He begins to flip through some text books and then stops at a page, his index finger landing on it abruptly. "Right," he says and clears his throat, there are a few snickers from students, "law. Does anybody know about law?" He looks around the room. Nobody answers. "Okay, well, parliament in the Fifth World is not bicameral. Bicameral means a parliament has two houses - an upper and lower. We are not a bicameral. We have one house. Does anybody know how many seats are in that house?"

Silence. I roll my eyes. This professor is ridiculous. We're basically Average Humans here, the Average Human World is all we have ever known - what makes him think we'd know anything about the Fifth World?

"There are twenty one seats in parliament - seven seats are delegated to Angelicans, five to Time Jumpers, six to Shape Shifters and three to Thornes."

There are some murmurs coming from the back of the room, Phillip takes no notice.

"Why only three?" I hear a familiar voice demand, Felicity isn't loud but she is loud enough for everyone to understand that she is quite disturbed by this news, or facts. Some of us, including myself, turn around to face her, that same plain expression is on her face. Her hair is tied back but it still looks brilliant and red.

"Sorry, dear?" Phillip asks.

"Why do Thornes only have three seats in parliament? Angelicans have seven, that's ridiculous if you ask me." Felicity replies. I turn back around to face Phillip as does everyone else. We wait for him to answer.

"Ah," he says and smiles softly, "I recognise you as a Thorne, Miss Stonem, am I correct?"

Felicity nods her head, slowly, angrily.

"It has been some time since a Thorne came to the academy - three years to be precise," Phillip continues. I watch how a smile twitches again around his lips, I think he is curious about Felicity, I don't blame him. "And tell me if I am correct, again, you are staying in the dorm with the Fifth World Star on the door."

I turn around, notice how Felicity's eyes narrow and she glances at me, I avoid her gaze quickly and keep my eyes on my books.

"That's correct," Felicity replies.

"Kinsey is a talented Angelican, Miss Stonem, I agree with his decision on assigning you and your roommate" - his eyes are then on me and I automatically freeze - "into that dorm room."

The class is silent, dead silent, and it is strange and almost frightening. I feel myself shiver. I turn around again and look back at Felicity, she is staring directly at me and for the first time, her expression changes - she appears confused and irritated at the same time.

"Angelicans have the majority of seats in parliament because it is a scientific fact that they are more intelligent and good, whereas humans such as Thornes will not bring good to Hargon or the Fifth World, for that matter - hence, why they have the minority of seats in parliament, the less amount of seats they have, the less amount of power they have."

Cynric: I walk into parliament house, it is even more beautiful than the City of Hargon. It is amazing, the structure's ceiling are carved, inside and out. But even though this building is impossibly beautiful, it brings upon a strange feeling of fear, of anxiousness. It's so beautiful that it is intimidating - and knowing what lies inside and who lies inside is frightening. Their powers, their capabilities, everything that government can do to make everything worse in your life is only a few steps away.

I am lead into the parliament's chamber, the room is enormous, the ceilings are pure white with carvings and paintings everywhere. It shows the story of Calhoun Hargon, the Angelican that Hargon is named after.
The session of parliament begins when I am seated. The twenty one politicians are already seated, one of them in particular, Alfred, stares at me. I look around me, as I sit in the guest speakers chairs and I realise, I am not alone. There are two Angelicans seated behind me. One male. One female. The male stares at me with curiosity and I have a sudden urge to touch his flesh, I want to know who he is. Exactly who he is. Even with a glimpse of him I can already see what kind of person he is. Clean cut clothes, elegant, classy, pastel coloured fabrics, long pants and dressy shoes. A tie. Hair combed, no loose ends. His skin is pale, young, but I know for a fact he is not young. He must a few decades old, maybe even over half a century. The woman has a dark complexion, deep brown eyes and thick hair that is in long braids. She is dressed in a dark black, leather jacket, her arms appear to be thick and athletic, her legs, definitely. Underneath her black jacket is a full length body suit, skin tight, leather, covers her entire body. She takes no notice of me but I do know that she is fully aware of my presence.
Wow. I don't know who she is but I do know what she is.

"Welcome one and all, it has been some months since our last session," Alfred begins to speak, his voice is deep, wise and pure. He has long, brown and blonde curls, his eyes are a fierce green, his skin white and freckly. I watch how he gestures towards the guest seating, his eyes land on the woman sitting behind me, "today we have our talented friend, Namara, she has come here today to witness the interrogation of several criminals."

"And what criminals might we be interrogating?" a female Thorne asked, her name is Penelope and she has a strong French accent.

"Traitors, dear Penelope," Alfred answered, "Thornes, Time Jumpers, Shape Shifters. Namara, as most of you should know, is a Justice Agent."

Justice Agents, I think to myself. That is what Namara is. Justice Agents are mainly Angelicans, they track down the traitors, the criminals, mainly Thornes, who are suspected of murder, treachery, perjury and back when I was born, their only target were Thornes - that was when a battle of Thornes versus the city of Hargon erupted. Justice Agents are brutal, they're strong, they're determined and they have no hesitation in killing you or making your death the most painful of all. I can only imagine the amount of blood Namara has on her hands.

"Bring out the first criminal," Alfred commands. A guard opens a door towards the wing of the room, a Thorne appeared, his clothes that were draped across his body looked more like rags, his wrist bound together in shackles. He stumbles but with the help of the Time Jumper guard he makes his way through chambers and towards the stand. "Voice your name, son."

The Thorne shoots a look of disgust at Alfred and rather than stating his name as he is told, he scoffs loudly and spits at the floor. Nobody is surprised with this reaction. Alfred sighs deeply and expresses disappointment on his face. I know what happens next. I've been here before, I've helped parliament with interrogations. He'll call on me now. He'll want me to touch the Thorne, therefore see his past, his memories.
Alfred's eyes meet my face, he smiles softly at me, his eyes silently beckoning me to step up, I can't help but feel a little scared. But I do as I am told. I stand up, move across the room and towards the Thorne. He is glaring at me, appearing as if he wants to tear me to pieces. He probably could. All eyes are on me, I feel them, even the Angelican that was sitting behind me, the male, I can especially feel his eyes piercing through me. I approach the stand and look up at him. He stares down at me, his eyes almost glowing with fury. The guard takes the Thornes wrist in both hands, he struggles but the guard holds the mans wrist down towards me and I simply touch him with a finger.

Memories flash before my eyes, voices, conversations, thoughts, arguments, friends, family, darkness, love, locations, mountains, battles, duels, plans, everything. Faces. Memories in the Thornes past, him as a child, his mother, her kindness, his father, his hate for Angelicans. I see the Thorne's childhool in merely seconds, then his teenage years come and go and then his adulthood approaches. Voices speak. "Genetic engineering." "The beginning of a revolution." "The rise of Thornes." I see more faces. Faces that are strangely familiar. "The male Angelican in parliament, he loves the female Time Jumper. We must find them! She carries the answer in her womb!" The many people flash before my eyes, the many Thornes this Thorne has interacted with. "Callahan Abshire - a lawyer that lives in Manchester. This is a photograph of him and his family in The Times. See the daughter? Look at her face, who does she look like?" Visions ran through my mind as my heart began to pound, I have only had my finger on this Thorne's wrist for five seconds but it seems like a lifetime. I saw a car, driving through a rainy night, vision would be temporarily impaired through the darkness, I recognised Callahan's face and then I saw, through the eyes of this Thorne, how him and others stood on the road, directly in Callahan's cars path. He slammed into them and they pulled him out of the wreck, he was conscious, just. "Where is she?!" "Where's Bo?!" Callahan understood exactly what they were saying but he refused to say a word, he tried to fight them but they beat him and left him to die in his own car. More memories flickered... until they stopped, they stopped here.

My finger drops from the mans wrist and he glares at me with disgust. Alfred stares at me, both amazed and impressed. I can feel my stomach churn, my insides twist and scream. I have to get out of here.

"Pardon me, Alfred," I say, I am clearly out of breath, "I am feeling quite ill and require to be excused to the restroom."
Alfred appears confused now but he nods his head and gestures for me to make my exit. I hurry through the chambers and notice the male Angelican, the one who was sitting behind me earlier, stand up abruptly, he points at me.

"Stop him!"